March 2008 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Re: Help with rotor control and GS-232B
by WILLIAMS MICHAEL 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

The last I knew, Nova didn't control Doppler by itself only rotor control. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong about this. SatPC32 is the software to go with for both rotor and Doppler control. Somebody out there should have a 910 set up with SatPC32! SatPC32 is somewhat hard to get going and operate but runs really well once you get used to it. Look in your 910 manual and see if there is an display indicator that comes on when you establish communications between the radio and the PC. This might tell you if you are successful in communicating with the rig. If I can be any help please email. I'm using an FT-847, but I have a detailed setup procedure around here somewhere. Please let us know if you are having any success. Mike K9QHO AMSAT 33589 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Scott, I am using the GS-232B/G-5500 with SatPC32 (Yaesu_GS-232 rotor selection) and a Kenwood TS-2000X and it works very well. I haven't tried it with Nova. SatPC32 does have a radio selection for the 910H so I presume SatPC32 would control both Doppler and your rotor just fine. You could download the trial version (http://www.dk1tb.de/satpcsetup_a.ZIP) and give it a try. If you are a member of AMSAT then it would only be $45 to register the application. SatPC32 is a little complex at first; however, if you spend some time to get comfortable with it, I am sure you will like it. I hope you get everything working. 73 Jeff - K7WIN -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Scott Gillis Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 1:14 PM To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Help with rotor control and GS-232B Hope I can get some good feedback on this issue. I bought a GS-232B and "assumed" (sigh) that it would be backwards compatible (meaning anything written for any GS-232 would work) I don't seem so lucky (or at least it seams that way with NOVA for Windows). I'm looking for suggestions on what software package (or combination) I need to control my ICOM 910H and my GS-232B. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated 73 Scott Gillis N3UJJ My Current Location <" target=_blank>http://location.n3ujj.com/> My Amateur Weather Station <" target=_blank>http://weather.n3ujj.com/>

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Courteous AO-51 Operation
by Ben Jackson 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

With the ever increasing madhouse that AO-51 is becoming, and with spring just around the corner adding more users to the satellite, I've typed up a fairly simple "do's and don'ts" guide to working AO-51. The guide focuses more on etiquette and operational guidelines rather then technical ideas, because there are already some excellent guides out there for the new user to read up on. This was more or less conceived one night in #amsat on irc.dishnuts.net while discussing the operational issues on AO-51. The satellite is a very good, very easy satellite to get into, however, the more people jam on, the harder it is for people to use it. So, myself, John (KB2HSH), Charles (N3CRT), and Mark (KF6KYI) all tossed around ideas on what is more a less a good "code of conduct" for AO-51 operation. Without further adieu: PDF (35K) http://www.innismir.net/etc/CourteousAO51_v1.1.pdf DOC (38K) http://www.innismir.net/etc/CourteousAO51_v1.1.doc Comments? Questions? Suggestions? -- Ben Jackson - N1WBV - New Bedford, MA bbj <at> innismir.net - http://www.innismir.net/

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Re: presentation for hamfest
by Wayne Estes 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Bob Bruninga wrote: The #1 point I make at hamfests are: 1) You dont need special antennas 2) You dont need elevation rotators 3) You dont need tracking software 4) Just operate from your mobile FM or APRS rig anytime you are commuting or otherwise in the car. Wayne replies: I'm amused at your presumption that all hams have a mobile ham radio and spend a great deal of time in their car. Wayne Estes W9AE Oakland, Oregon, USA, CN83ik

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Rovers and DXpeditions in mode J-FM [was: Swan Island DXpedition update]
by John Mock 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Please, PLEASE! If someone is on a J-FM satellite with rare-to-uncommon grid square(s), don't contact people you have worked before, especially those you've worked often. If you do, then people like the Swan Island DXpedition won't bother with satellite as it won't be worth carrying the equipment. Last week, I was about 30 feet (10m) from a grid square corner on private property, and i was only able to give out two of the four grid squares (at least one was uncommon-to-rare) because of the chaos on AO-27 that pass. Since i record all nearly all J-FM passes, i was planning to take contacts three at a time from two grid square boundaries; but that just wasn't possible. So i don't think i even got everyone from the northern grid square pair. PLEASE, on transcontinental passes and especially with very rare grids, save your routine traffic for other time. In most places, there are lots of other passes (especially on SO-50) where there were very few people on. I was at CN85/CN86 yesterday on SO-50 and there was only one station to work! 'Regulars', instead of chatting with your fiends, please briefly explain the situation and/or suggest that people work the uncommon/rare grids [as several 'regulars' do already]. Many folks don't have the time (or bandwidth) to read AMSAT-BB. Hope to talk to you on the way south through central Oregon and perhaps eastern California. I'm still hoping for at least one grid square corner. And please wait until after the Swan Islands are out of the footprint to work me. 73's and good luck! -- KD6PAG ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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sound card
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Greetings I am considering getting involved with some digital operations (fright). What is a recommended sound card to use for this endeavor (more fright). -- 73 Bob W7LRD AMSAT member 28498 Seattle

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Re: comprar antena arrow para satellites 144-432
by Clint Bradford 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

If this will help, I can purchase one and ship it to you via US mail. With duplexer, they are approx. $130US. US Priority Mal to Spain is approx. $32US. Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 On Mar 18, 2008, at 1:34 AM, amsat-bb-request(a)amsat.org wrote: > comprar antena arrow para satellites 144-432

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AO-16 tracking using MacDoppler
by Louis McFadin 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

I use MacDoppler very successfully all the time. What it does on birds like AO-16 is what called full doppler correction. In other words it adjusts the uplink frequency so that it is received at the satellite at a constant frequency. It also adjusts the downlink frequency on the radio to hear the same frequency adjusted for doppler. Lou McFadin W5DID w5did(a)mac.com

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Re: Swan Island DXpedition update
by Bill Dzurilla 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Well, the "23 hour boat ride" took 31 hours, rough seas and slow going. I was not too active on the LEOs due to the conditions, although had a lot of fun working MM on HF from the bridge. We landed about 2:30pm and worked fantically to get set up before dark. One HF SSB station is in operation this evening, although we are having technical problems with the generators and some rigs. Boyd and I worked late to get the 2m station up, the 6m antenna goes up in the morning. We made one EME qso with W5UN and then lost the amp, may be just a cable issue. Look for us on Ping Jockeys in the morning. 73, Bill NZ5N Worked our very first QSO of the expedition with W5VG on AO-27 with the HT and the Arrow before the generators were turned on. Also worked a few on AO-51 this evening. But please folks on the FM birds, stand by and give everyone a chance to work us and get the new grid. --- Bill Dzurilla <billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > The boat is repaired and we leave for Swan at 1200z > on > Sunday. Arrive early Monday. We will have a > maritime > mobile op on HF and LEOs all day tomorrow. Moonrise > at 2030z on Monday and we will be on 6 and 2 eme > then. > Will try meteor scatter on Tuesday morning after > moonset. > 73, Bill NZ5N > --- Bill Dzurilla <billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > due to mechanical problem with the boat, we are > > stuck > > in trujillo, grid ek66, and will not arrive at > swan > > island until monday. will be operating on hf and > > the > > sats tonite and saturday, we may also break out > the > > 2m > > yagi and amp for a little eme and ms, but it would > > be > > difficult to unpack and repack. will be on so50 > at > > 0400z friday evening. > > 73, bill > > --- Bill Dzurilla <billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > It looks like a go for the HQ6A expedition this > > > weekend. The 6m and 2m gear has arrived safely > in > > > Honduras, so let's hope for favorable > propogation. > > > > > I > > > arrive in San Pedro Sula, EK65, on Thursday > > > afternoon. > > > At the very least, I hope to make some > satellite > > > contacts from there on Thursday evening and > Friday > > > morning. On Friday, we go by land to Trujillo, > > > EK75, > > > then 23 hours by boat, leaving Saturday morning, > > > through grid EK76, and arriving at our > > destination, > > > Big Swan Island, EK87, on Sunday morning. > > Satellite > > > contacts should be possible from any of these > > > locations, and I know a major HF operation is > > > planned > > > from the boat, but since the amps and big > antennas > > > are > > > packed up it seems doubtful any serious EME or > > > meteor > > > work can be done before we get to the island, > > maybe > > > if > > > lucky some 6m E skip with a small antenna. > > > > > > We will have internet and will post news on > > > reflectors > > > and DX clusters. Log and other info on our > > website > > > at > > > http://www.hondurasdx.com/. > > > > > > 73, Bill NZ5N > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > > > Looking for last minute shopping deals? > > > Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. > > > > > > http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Looking for last minute shopping deals? > Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. > http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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HQ8R
by Alvaro de Leon Romo 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

I talked in 40m with Bill NZ5N in Swan Is and he will be Tomorrow Tuesday in the morning in AO51 so GL all... Al XE2AT _________________________________________________________________ Participa en nanometrajes y gana grandes premios http://cine.prodigymsn.com/nanometraje

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Help with rotor control and GS-232B
by Scott Gillis 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Hope I can get some good feedback on this issue. I bought a GS-232B and "assumed" (sigh) that it would be backwards compatible (meaning anything written for any GS-232 would work) I don't seem so lucky (or at least it seams that way with NOVA for Windows). I'm looking for suggestions on what software package (or combination) I need to control my ICOM 910H and my GS-232B. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated 73 Scott Gillis N3UJJ My Current Location <http://location.n3ujj.com/> My Amateur Weather Station <http://weather.n3ujj.com/>

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